Flower protecting and display case



April 26, 1938. R. M. KOCH FLOWER PROTECTING AND DISPLAY CASE Filed April 12, 1937 Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STTES ATENT oFFicE 6 Claims.

This invention belongs to that type of devices which are useful for displaying bouquets, cut flowers and similar ornaments where protection isdesired without interfering with the visibility of the ornament.

It is particularly desirable for holding out flowers for table ornamentation.

It may be hung upon the wall of a room or other suitable support.

It may be used simply as a protection for flowers and in this connection it is desirable and useful to protect and preserve flowers as decorations for graves.

It is particularly useful in museums and in stores for preventing the handling of goods. specimens and the like without interfering with the ocular inspection thereof.

Other uses will appear as the description pro-v ceeds.

To aid in the thorough understanding of the construction and the operation of my invention I have filed herewith as a part of the specification one sheet of drawings containing ten figures in which- Figure 1 is a view showing my invention as it appears when hanging upon a wall or other suitable support; part of the view is in section to show more clearly the construction and the operation of the invention;

Fig. 2 is across sectional view taken transversely of the assembled device;

Fig. 3 is a view from above of a part of the device a portion being broken away to show the key-hole slot in the bottom by which it may be hung up securely;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view showing longitudinal grooves along the sides to receive and hold the retaining elements; 7

Fig. 5 is a bottom view similar to the bottom view in Fig. 4 but showing a series of short slots in place of the longitudinal grooves or depressions of Fig. l but for the same purpose;

Fig. 6 is a detail showing a section of one end of the invention in which a rib is formed upon the end member to prevent the slipping of the retaining member;

Fig. '7 is a View similar to the view in Fig. 6 but showing the end member flange provided with a continuous semi-circular groove in which to seat the retaining element when a wire is used for that purpose;

Fig. 8 is a detail view in section showing a series of spaced depressions in the flange of the end member instead of the continuous semivided with upstanding ends 4 which may be integral or separately formed and attached to the bottom as desired; all constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material. 7

The ends 4'. as shown are semi-circular but as the particular configuration of the several parts is not the gist of the invention the ends l may be rectanguluar, semi-sexagonal, semi-octagonal or any other suitable desired shape.

Flanges 5 are located upon the upstanding ends 4. As illustrated flanges 5 project inwardly towards each other; but, if desired, one or both of the end flanges 5 may project outwardly.

End flanges 5 serve as rests to support, guide and hold in place the ends of transparent cover member 6.

To hold transparent cover element 6 closely engaged with the flanges 5 of the end members 4 I place a resilient flexible retaining member I about each end of the cover 6. It may be desirable to use retaining members 1 intermediate the ends of the cover.

Cover member 6 may be composed of regenerated cellulose, more commonly known by its trade name Cellophane, it may be of celluloid, glass, translucent paper or any other transparent medium, and it may be thick or thin as desired.

Cover member 6 is of a length sufficient to reach to the outer edges of ends 4 when the flanges 5 project inwardly; but when the flanges ,5 project outwardly I prefer to have the cover 6 long enough to reach approximately to the outer edges of the flanges 5. I

Surrounding cover member 6 Where it rests upon and is supported by flanges 5 I place retaining members I which closely grip the cover member 6. Retaining members I have inturnedj ends 8 which snap under the bottom 2 and hold the members 1 in close engagement with cover 6 resting upon flanges 5. V

Members 1 are made of spring metal and are so formed that their tendency is to bring the ends together; consequently when they are put into proper place they clamp the cover 6 to the 7' end members and maintain their grip until for:

' forma'hook, as shown at M in Fig. Libywhichf the device'may be hungupon a .cord, a wire, a

twig orother suitable object. V If When hook M is used I'form outturnedii lugs IS on the parts 8 of the retainingmembers] to plane cibly released. 7 7 v The provision of lugs 9 (see Fig. .10) on the ends of inturned ends 8, in co-operation with but is left attached to the bottom; as-shownin dotted lines in Fig. 3 at M and is bent backto hold the device'level when placed uponra surface such as a tableor the like. W Ends 4 and their flanges 5 may be formed by doubling the material back uponitself to make a ridge 16 (see Fig.6) which will wholly prevent theretaining members 1 from slippin g; oifthe When the-covert is composed of thin mate- ,rial it' is diflicult .to keep it from slipping or creeping'out from under the retaining 'members. 1 To overcome this difficulty I provide a' series of depressions l8 (see' Fig." 8) inthe. flanges .5

I into which the members] press'the cover 6 and form projections which act as keys to hold'the.

parts immovable with relation to ea'chother. V In Fig-- 7'I illustrate a modification I have found particularly, efficient to hold cover :material of qthe thinnest kind practicable A continuous groove I1 is formed in flange 5. With this modification the retainingmember is preferablycomposed of spring wire 1'; 'Obviously the resilience of thewire 1' will carry the thin cover material into the groove. I] and form an eflicient lock to ,prevent the slipping of the cover off of the {flanges 5. 1 I It is contemplated, in extreme cases,- if necessary to. wrap] an: annealed wire a1l':the, way

around thedisplay device locating it ingroove l1 and twistingthe ends together.;, 7 I "I make my display case in different sizesand lengths according to the use to which it is to be put] some of them are large enough to accommodate a bouquet of long stemmedAmerican Beauty roses and others are shortenoughto properly protect 'abunch of violets'or a single waterrlily or other flowerof unu sual' beautypand rarity};

I Having fully'described my invention andthe bestmeans' of practicing itfnow known'to me, I

do'not wish to be restricted to the exact details.

. shownand described because I claim asmy invention everything properly included within the scope ofthe following claims V 1 r I claim:

v 1. In a flower protecting and display case the "combination of a base memben'upstanding side members' jon thebase member, upstandingend members on the base member, laterallyrprojecting' flanges onthe end members; a transparent .co'ver memberroverlapping the side members and extending from near the'lower edge of one side member over the flanges and to near the lower edge of the other side-member and a plurality of resilient retaining. members having angularly inturned ends surrounding the'cover member and engaging with the bottom. of the basemember to hold the several elements in assembled relation; 2. In a flower protecting and display case the combination of aba'se member having longitudinal grooves in the'bottom of the. base member near 7 each side edge, upstanding end members on the base member, longitudinally projecting" side flanges on the end members, a transparent cover member extending from the base member on one side over the flanges to the-other side of the member,;aiplurality of arcuate resilient retaining members having angularly disposed inturned ends provided with lugs attheir: extremities whereby when the retaining members surround the-cover the angularly disposed parts thereof contact the bottom of the base member and the lugs thereseveral elements of the device in assembled relation I v F Ina protecting anddisplay casethe combination of a base memben'end'members ongthebase 1 member, flanges on the end members havingja series of depressed, portions, a cover extending from one side of the basemember over the flanges of the end members-and to theotherside 'of the base member," resilient retaining; members, ex-f j2o'l on snap into the grooves therein and hold the tending from one sideofthe base member over 7 the cover above the flanges .on'the end members and to the other side of the base member whereby portionsof the cover member are pressed into' e sionsin the flange members and thus held more firmly-in place.

e 4. In a protecting and' display device. the com;

bination of a base member, end members on the'i base member, flanges on the end members provided with a groove in each flange, a cover mem ber iextendingover the flanges to andembracingrboth sides of the base member, retaining members I composed of resilient wire having angularlyin turned ends 'to be carried around the cover above the flanges and the ends hooked under the side portions of the basemember whereby the cover is; embedded in the grooves in the flanges and thus heldsecurely.

5. In a protecting and displaycase the combina-t tion of a base member upturned ends onthe base I member, a transparent cover member surrounding:

theend members and extending from one side of the base member. tortheother side of 'the base member and. resilient retaining members having. angularly inturned ends to extend over the cover T member and grip both sides of the base member:

6. In aflower protector and displaycase the combination of a basemember, upstandingiend;

members on the base member, a transparent cover member to surroundthe upstanding end member and thefco ver membentogether; comprising arcuate resilient clips with'rangularly' ine' turned portions at'each endto surround thecoven member and grip the bottom of the base m em her, the ends of the angularly inturned portions placed on a plane surface.

. being provided With outstanding lugs which act as legs whereby the device is held 'level when members andthesides of the base member, a. f plurality .ofietaini'ng elements to hold. the base;

,7 to. RODERICK M5 Ko en H I 

